Our Mitzvah Projects Evolve

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A few years ago, we decided to begin a Mitzvah Project related to the Mitzvah of Taharas HaMishpachah (Family Purity). Collecting was slow and complicated. With Hashem's help we managed to pay off the debts to the Mikvah for many Jewish women, but sadly a few difficulties arose:

1) Some Mikvaot were not prepared to give us a receipt for the payment of the debts to the Mikvah, thus affecting our records and our donors not believing that the funds went where they were supposed to.

2) There was a time delay in some of the women hearing their debt had been paid in full and was cancelled. This was a major concern as we are aware how each day of having a debt can cause pain which we aimed to ease.

3) Some women began to take advantage of the new Mitzvah Project, pocketing money given to them for Mikvah and wanting their cost covered.

What to do???

Simultaneously we discovered some people did not have cash available to donate but were happy to contribute a new cake of soap, a bottle of shampoo etc, as seen in the image at the start of this post. After discussion with the Balanit (supervising lady at the Mikvah) of one of the Mikvaot we worked with, Rabbi Fishel Jacobs who had written our letter of approbation and a few other rabbis we decided to alter direction. We collected items to give a gift bundle to needy Kallot so that they could fulfill Mitzvah. We also continued to collect money to begin this important Mitzvah.

With the assistance of kind donors and Hashgachah Pratis (Divine Providence) we have managed to help 11 couples with a substantial gift bundle for their new home. All items donated are brand new. Many items donated come from young couples who received duplicates of gifts or items that were not their taste.

In collecting for our most recent couple, we discovered the bundle of donated items  increasing amazingly. Just before Purim we had a successful sale in Efrat of new hats, make-up and Mishloach Manos. Now we are actively working on a new plan - our thrift store.

In the image above you can see sets of brand new dishes that are starting our crockery section of our thrift Store

Here we have a few more dishes adorned by attractive Mishloach Manos. We are always happy to make up a special gift for someone special. 

As you see above, our toiletry section is now more than just a few bottles of shampoo, some cakes of soap etc. We have some boxes of toiletries donated, and of course our all natural make-up donated by Lori of FaceFacts. 

In the front you can see a gift we put together for our recent couple with toiletries and a few boxes of Bedikah cloths for her new Mitzvah. We also obtained a white sheet that accompanied her gift basket.

 

This image is an exciting development - our Judaica section that includes a beautiful Kiddush cup, an ART candle stick set, Challah boards, Challah covers, Neigel vasser, Birkat HaBayit and an assortment of stunning platters for the Shabbos table.

So if you find yourself on a tight budget or wanting to give a gift for any occasion, or you are a Kallah needing to start your own new home, please come and purchase your household and personal items from our thrift store. All items are brand new, selling at amazingly low prices and proceeds goes to assist needy orphan Chatanim and Kallot. 

Email TODAY

for an appointment to purchase items from our thrift store.

By purchasing from us, you save on items needed for your home or gifts while enabling us to raise funds needed for those bigger items such as new hats for the Chatan, a new suit, Seforim, bookcase and other necessities. The needs of each couple varies so stay tuned for updates on the next couple we assist through Chessed Ve'Emet

If you were blessed with many gifts and lack the space or find that some do not suite your taste and needs, contact us for that too and assist in helping our thrift store to thrive, develop, evolve and assist many more to have the basic necessities that EVERY Chatan and Kallah is deserving of.

Yibaneh Yerushalayim Continues

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 Article written by Azriel Winnett

Yibaneh Yerushalayim (May Jerusalem be Rebuilt) is a full color magazine geared to helping people set up a new home, after marrying or making aliyah to Israel, in accordance with authentic Jewish values. With a modern layout and printed on quality paper, it is produced to high professional standards. Its stimulating content includes informative articles by experts prominent in their respective fields and inspiring Torah tips, as well advertising offering quality products and services suitable for the publication's target readership. Distribution is  currently free.

Two issues, which were distributed in the Jerusalem area and throughout Israel, have already been published. The feedback had been extremely positive and it is clear that many people are very eagerly awaiting the third issue, which is now in an advanced stage of preparation. This issue boasts new features and many more articles. You can preview one of them: How Our Emotions Affect Our Relationships by clicking here.

This magazine is part of our expanding Chesed ve'Emet organization that is engaged in disseminating Torah knowledge and values in various ways and in a wide range of chesed activities. In particular, the journal is a component of our Partners in Life program, which provides important services for people preparing to marry, both during their search for the right partner and for long afterwards. This also includes the Bayit Chadash project, which helps in a very practical way less privileged engaged and newly married couples (with a focus on empowering orphans) who simply lack the means for all that is essential for a new Jewish home. Couples we have helped in the past have found it difficult to find the right words to express their deep gratitude for this critical support.

We have great plans for upcoming issues of Yibaneh Yerushalayim. We know that it fills a genuine need and has enormous potential for making a real difference to people's lives. But if we are to continue with this project, we are compelled to appeal to the generosity of those to whom the Jewish family as the cornerstone of Torah-based Jewish life is precious.

As our publication is still new, potential advertisers - on whom we eventually will rely to meet the bulk of our publishing costs - understandably want to see that it will last and be effective before making a decision to advertise with us. Of course, this places us in a paradoxical predicament. Similarly, without basic capital, it is also difficult for a new publication like ours to attract the right calibre of sales people to solicit advertising.

With your generous support, we hope it will be possible to publish our next issue very soon even without enough advertising. Your support will also give us the resources to expand distribution of the magazine, and this will in turn help to enable us to attract more and higher-paying advertisers.

In order to make production as efficient and cost effective as possible, we will also need to invest in a computer that is able to handle the necessary graphic design software, as well as to purchase the software itself(Adobe Creative Suite) and other required accessories together. We will then manage to produce the magazine from start to finish on our own, with substantial long-term savings. In addition, we look forward to being able to update our current website making it user friendly, easy to navigate and enjoyable to use - packed with projects and information to assist our community.

Please become a partner with us in our holy work! We do feel that our modest publication could play a not insignificant role in promoting authentic Jewish values, an important aspect of which is the stability of our family life.

Please make a donation right here right now.

                                                  

Thank you for your kindness

For those who are serious donors requiring any other information or would like to give something further to this project, please email us so that we can set up a time to talk on the phone about this very urgent Mitzvah

If you have a service or product related to weddings in Israel and setting up a new home here, please email us for prices to purchase adspace in our next edition. If you know anyone who loves sales, please have them email us.

Please note this article, as with all others on this blog, is copyrighted and may not be used without written permission of the manager of the blog. (written permission MUST be signed by the manager of the blog)

Hachnasat Kallah for a very special couple 2

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This stunning set of brand new sterling silver candlesticks was generously donated to Chessed Ve'Emet to assist the Chatan and Kallah who we are currently assisting. The candlesticks were arranged on a brand new silver plated tray kindly donated by another donor, together with a full assortment of toiletries and other necesseties for the Kallah, which she will appreciate when she begins to fulfill the Mitzvah of Taharas HaMishpachah.

Each of the items in the basket of toiletries was donated by a different donor. Whether a donation is large or small, as long as it is brand new we are happy to receive it and include it in the various items necessary to begin the new home of these new couples. Everything we give is aimed at giving dignity and honour to the couple marrying, something that every couple is deserving of.

The couple, based in Israel, have been waiting over a year due to difficulties involved in putting the wedding together. We are grateful to be a part of helping them bring it all together.

This Chatan and Kallah are a very special couple. The Kallah does not have parents to assist her and has been raised by her widowed grandmother. She has a disability affecting her walking and hence walks with assistive devices.

The Chatan is almost blind, being able to see only a few centimetres away from his face. His greatest love is studying Torah which he can only do wtih large print Seforim (Torah books), held very close to his eyes - with his beard flush on the page. 

The picture below shows the Chatan giving Rabbi Eliyahu Shear of Chessed Ve'Emet a letter of thanks for the first few items received as can be seen on the table (the candlesticks on tray and the basket of toiletries.) The couple are in urgent need of some very important items, including but not limited to:

• A custom made suit for the Chatan due to other physical deformities
• A number of white shirts to start his married life
• New shoes for the Chatan which are easy for him to fasten as he cannot manage laces. 
• A new hat for the Chatan
• An adjustable quality shtender to assist with his learning
• A trolley for the Kallah to take food or other items to her Chatan (soon to be husband) as her hands are usually holding her walking aides
• A list of necessary Torah books for the Chatan, vital to every Jewish home. Anyone wanting to donate can enquire as to the books he is in need of.
• Bookshelves for his books
• A few sessions of occupational therapy to assist this couple to adjust to married life with their combined and varried disabilities. These sessions will be provided by Shoshanah Shear and are not offered through the National Health. The couple are not able to pay for private sessions.

All monetary donations can be given by clicking on the PayPal button immediately below.

Thank you for your kindness

For those who are serious donors requiring any other information or would like to give something further to this project, please email us so that we can set up a time to talk on the phone about this very urgent Mitzvah. The Chuppah is scheduled for just a few weeks away, so time is of the essence.